Oxygen’s ‘Sins of the South’ Delves Into Shocking Slaying of Woman Who Had ‘Perfect’ Life

True crime aficionados get ready for Oxygen’s anything-but-charming new series Sins of the South. Each episode digs into the horrific murder cases that rocked the region below the Mason-Dixon line. Helping tell the stories are first-hand accounts from the victims’ loved ones and law enforcement coinciding with archival footage and cinematic recreations you’ve come to expect from the network’s fare.

The premiere “Terror in Tenessee” centers on the 2008 disappearance and murder of Tina Caronnas. She and her husband Joe looked to be living in wedded bliss, but come to find out things aren’t always what they seem. Tina goes missing on the day of a big party for a Corvette Club they belong to and is found dead after a search. It turns out the murder unspooled a yarn of other crimes committed.

Later in the season will revisit the slaying of a New Orleans pastor post-Hurricane Katrina, a triple murder on a North Carolina Christmas tree farm, and the killing of a Miami Beach hotel heir.

Here Showrunner Brian DeCubellis previews the stories told through the season.

Where did the idea come from to center on this particular region of the country? Anything that stands out regarding crimes in this area? 

Sins of the South was first inspired by a deep appreciation for the history of the region. We were excited to highlight all the different subcultures that make the American South special, while also featuring the themes that unite the region. We were enamored with its culture and the feel, and fascinated by how a place so vibrant and alive could also be so steeped in violence and death.

Tina’s sandals in the car her body was found by the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office. (Oxygen)

What struck you about the Caronnas case looking back at it today? It certainly has a little bit of everything, making it perfect for the premiere.  

The mystery of what happened to Tina Caronna was riveting from the beginning and was a perfect case to showcase the 3 “S’s”  Sin, South, and Sleuthing.  It’s also heartbreaking and tragic and we really appreciate Tina’s family sharing her story and their experience as part of it.

What went into deciding what cases that were covered? 

We wanted to represent different areas of the South for starters.  Each location is its own world and very different from each other.  The murders are each horrible in their own way for being born of a sin.

What are some of the biggest cases tackled this season?  

We have the murder of polo star Roberto Villegas where world-famous defense lawyer Blair Howard served, to the case of Maurice Colly where the FBI was brought in on a nationwide manhunt as covered by America’s Most Wanted at the time, to a serial killing in a small Texas hospital.

Any that were particularly challenging? 

Not really.  We are super grateful to the law enforcement, and victims’ loved ones, and experts for participating to bring us inside the true life details of each case.

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Is there a common thread you see through these cases? 

If there’s any common thread, it would be that some sins in life are understood and explainable, while those that lead to murder evoke an evil that may never be understood.

Anything else you want to add about the making of the project? 

In the creation of each of these episodes, we prioritized getting the story right, honoring the victims, and the individuals who gave everything they have in the pursuit of justice.  The twists and turns of the stories, as surprising as some may seem, are all factual.  Our team held the bar high in our craft to render these stories faithfully, and peer with a flashlight into the dark well of the human soul.

Sins of the South, Series Premiere, May 12, 8/7c, Oxygen